Bill Meltzer: Flyers Playoff Gameday: ECQF Game 4 vs. WSH

LETS GO CAPS.

Reminds me of 2010 when the flyers smoked a small, pesky Habs team in the ECF. Habs would always come out in the first ten minutes with their hair on fire and then disappear. It'll be the same old song and dance tonight

cockroaches. Bill, you are simply "The Man"!

Dont know if im going to be able to watch this one

Bill,
I truly hope that's not your last pre-game blog for this year.

Nice write-up Bill.

You have Bellemare listed in the lineup, which I'm sure was simply a copy-paste error. Do you think they put Umberger in, or will they go with someone else? personally, I'd like McDonald in that spot.

Reminds me of 2010 when the flyers smoked a small, pesky Habs team in the ECF. Habs would always come out in the first ten minutes with their hair on fire and then disappear. It'll be the same old song and dance tonight
- Just5

So the Caps will come out strong in the first 10 minutes and then disappear?

Awesome. Love the positive mindset.

So Bellmare gets suspended for a hit similar to the one that got MacDonald taken out against Pittsburgh? Player off balance and still gets drilled? Help me out, I'm confused.

Also a question for Bill? Is this 3-0 lead more about the Caps being that good? The Flyers being subpar? Or both?

Dont know if im going to be able to watch this one
- YuenglingJagr

Have faith young man, have faith. Win or lose, this season has been a step in the right direction. It will be painful if it ends, but the team has made strides that I'm happy about.

Flyers have played well. Without looking it up though, I bet the Caps have far more high-danger scoring chances. With a little luck, Caps have been able to bury their chances. Flyers, while generating a high shot volume, aren't seemingly as dangerous offensively.

jmatch:

I don't think you can risk Umberger just incase they do want to buy him out. I know he played the Islander game but I don't risk it.

So Bellmare gets suspended for a hit similar to the one that got MacDonald taken out against Pittsburgh? Player off balance and still gets drilled? Help me out, I'm confused.

Also a question for Bill? Is this 3-0 lead more about the Caps being that good? The Flyers being subpar? Or both?
- Pelle31Forever

Combination of both, IMHO.

Flyers have played well. Without looking it up though, I bet the Caps have far more high-danger scoring chances. With a little luck, Caps have been able to bury their chances. Flyers, while generating a high shot volume, aren't seemingly as dangerous offensively.
- Blackstrom2

Yup

Flyers can't get anything going in the slot area. Sticks and bodies are completely muted. It's really a great job by the caps and it's obvious we don't have the horses to force issues

Combination of both, IMHO.
- Streit2ThePoint

Same. The Caps are better, and are finishing their chances. Doesn't hurt that Holtby is playing some of his best hockey ever, as well, while Mason has been average.

Dont know if im going to be able to watch this one
- YuenglingJagr

I've got to work thank god. This one will most likely ugly and look out for the trolls on here afterward.

Well, I certainly hope it doesn't end tonight - 2010 rehash hopefully - but if it does, I hope the crowd give the Flyers a lengthy standing O for giving us such a spirited season.

As hockeylover said, they've made strides. Whether it was months of overachieving, playing hurt, or whatever, they just don't yet, collectively, have that playoff gear.

It's coming.

LETS GO CAPS.
- Blackstrom2

Did you just hear somebody say something? .... oh, just the static, sorry.

So Bellmare gets suspended for a hit similar to the one that got MacDonald taken out against Pittsburgh? Player off balance and still gets drilled? Help me out, I'm confused.

Also a question for Bill? Is this 3-0 lead more about the Caps being that good? The Flyers being subpar? Or both?
- Pelle31Forever

Caps PP vs Passive Flyers PK is why this series stands where it is. It's really as simple as that.

Well, I certainly hope it doesn't end tonight - 2010 rehash hopefully - but if it does, I hope the crowd give the Flyers a standing O for giving us such a spirited season.
- copelal

Great season either way. It's upsetting to be getting our teeth kicked in but it should only help Hexy further evaluate the needs the team has to compete with the best NHL teams for the long run

LET'S GO FLYERS!!! CLAP! ~ CLAP! ~ CLAP!CLAP!CLAP!!!



LET'S GO FLYERS!!! CLAP! ~ CLAP! ~ CLAP!CLAP!CLAP!!!



LET'S GO FLYERS!!! CLAP! ~ CLAP! ~ CLAP!CLAP!CLAP!!!



LET'S GO FLYERS!!! CLAP! ~ CLAP! ~ CLAP!CLAP!CLAP!!!



LET'S GO FLYERS!!! CLAP! ~ CLAP! ~ CLAP!CLAP!CLAP!!!



LET'S GO FLYERS!!! CLAP! ~ CLAP! ~ CLAP!CLAP!CLAP!!!

Well boys, win or lose tonight, it's been one hell of a ride and one hell of a season... Better than what I imagined in October. This series overall will be a valuable series to walk away from for the young guys and the veterans imho, as well as the organization in terms of addressing our flaws. As G said it, lets gain momentum when we win game 4 and take it back to DC

Pierre-Edouard Bellemare received a major penalty, game misconduct and subsequent one game suspension from the NHL for a hit from behind on Capitals defenseman Dmitry Orlov late in the game. Equally frustrated teammates Ryan White and Radko Gudas drew 10-minute misconducts from the ensuing scrum. Washington received no penalties. All three penalized Flyers deserved the calls that were issued.

Why is Wilson playing? Kinda looks like a headshot to me...

These are the final words that will be spoken in this blog space about what happened late in the game: In the waning minutes, 100 or so verminous cockroaches, masquerading as human beings and fueled by alcohol, their own lack of intelligence and a mob mentality, embarrassed the Flyers organization, its players, the actual fans of the team and the city of Philadelphia. They statistically comprised .005 percent of the sellout crowd but that fact will never be portrayed in most accounts of the souvenir bracelets thrown down on the ice, forcing PA announcer Lou Nolan to try in futility to appeal to the class and dignity of the boorish and brainless and then to embarrass those proud of their own ignorance into stopping.

Hope it isn't news to anybody that there are a lot of bumholes in the world, if so, a rude awakening is coming.

That said...regardless of what happens tonight, it was a much better season than expected. Hopefully Hak and the guys all learned lessons that can be carried into and improved upon for next season. For instance, not changing the lineup when it might be the spark you need...

Caps PP vs Passive Flyers PK is why this series stands where it is. It's really as simple as that.
- dragonoffrost

Flyers would still need a few more goals to win, so not quite that simple, but a better PK would certainly have kept them in the games longer.